R842 -09 ERIC REPORT RESUME ED AO 279 214.-67 08 A NATIONAL STUDY OF THE AVIATIONMECHANICS OCCUPATION. ALLEN, DAVID * AND OTHERS BVE08490-UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA,LOS ANGELES CAMPUS ERD.i..393 BVE08291 CALIFORNIA STATE DEPT.OF EDUCATION, SACRAMENTO Bik50189 '-66 OCC -6- 85-043 EDRS PRICE AF-60:36 HC -:9.40 235P. *VOCATIONAL EDUCATION, INDUSTRIALEDUCATION, JOB TRAINING, VOCATIONAL SCHOOLS, *SURVEYS,NATIONAL SURVEYS, QUESTIONNAIRES, *CURRICULWDEVELOPMENT, *AVIATIONMECHANICS, *ADVISORY COMMITTEES, LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA*SACRAMENTO A NATIONAL'SURVEY WAS UNDERTAKENTO PROVIDE DATA. FOR THE ACCOIPLISHMENT OF THREE OBJECTIVES(1)TO INVESTIGATE THE TECHNICAL KNOWLEDGE AND MANIPULATIVESKILLS OF AVIATION MECHANICSAS REQUIRED BY THE AVIATION INDUSTRY,-(2):TOIDENTIFY A CORE CURRICULUM FORTHE TRAINING OF AVIATION MECHANICS,AND 0) TO IDENTIFY THE SCOPEOF TRAINING OFFERED BY INDUSTRY..THE SURVEY WAS DESIGNED TOPROVIDE ANSWERS TOFIVE SPECIFIC QUSTIONS".(1)NUMBER OF MEN PERFORMING EACH TASK SPECIFIED, (2) .FREQUENCY.OF PERFORMANCE, 0/ LEVEL OF JECHNICALANOWLEDGE REQUIRED TOPERFORM EACH TASK, (4) CONDITION UNDER WHICH EACH TASK -IS PERFORMED,AND (5I _DEPTH OF TRAINING CONDUCTED BY INDUSTRY. ADJACENTTO EACH OF 52 TABLES WHICHPRESENT THE SURVEY FINDINGS BY.SPECIFIED TASKS IS (1) 'ANOVERVIEW OF -WORK..TASK 'PfRFORMEDip-I2) :THEPRINCIPAL FINDINGS, AND (3) THE RECOMMENDAtIONS OFTHE NATIONAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE.REDIRECTION, APPLICATION, -AND ARE PRESENTEDAWTHE REPORT.CiCI A National Study of the 1VIATIO ECU ICS OCCUPATION 1966 DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, EDUtATION AND WELFAME. Offic.o of Education fhb dOCUMent has been rcproluced exactly as rehied tromps OVIOO or organ24ion originating it. Points of view or opinions della do net necessarily represent official Office of Educe's.; masaer Epoia6277 David Allen Supervisor Trade & Technical Teacher Education. Principal Investigator John M. Meyer Deputy Principal Investigator Alvin Gorenbein Senior Subject Area Supervisor Powerplants William K. Bowers Subject Area SupervisorAirframes VOCATIONAL AND TECHNICAL' EDUCATION CONTRACT 0E485-043 VOCATIONAL EDUCATION ACT OF 1988, SECTION 4 (C) THE PROJECT REPORTED HEREIN WAS SUPPORTED BY A GRANT FROM THE DEPARTMENT' OF HEALTH, EDUCATION, AND WOLPARg_ NOT FILMED PRECEDINGPAGE BLANK- Pre Face The project concerning the aviation mechanics occupationwas con- ducted by the Division of Vocational Education as a part of the work of its Center for Research and Service. The curriculum innovations anc' data presented in this study offer important contributions to assist vocational educators in the field of aviation mechanics training. The ability to provide the aviation tech- nical schools, on a national level, with current data from all regions and segments of the industry is of immediate and continuing importance. The techniques employed in this study to develop the aviation mechanics core curriculum can be applied.in other occupational areas. The in- dustry, the school, the teacher, and the student can in concert advance their educational objectives and needs through research of this type. Funds to support the research were provided by the United States Office of Education under the provisions of Section 4(c) of the Voca- tional Education Act of 1963, and by the California State Department of Education, Bureau of Industrial Education. The staffs of the Division of Vocational Education, University of California, Los Angeles, and the Bureau of Industrial Education, California State Department of Education, planned, conducted, and coordinated the study. Melvin L. Barlow, Director Division of Vocational Education University of California iii PRECEDING PAGE BLANK-NMELLMED Contents Preface iii Introduction 1. NEEDS, REVIEW, AND PLANS Needs . 5 Review OOOOO. 10 Plans 3, OOOOOOOOO . 12 IMPLEMENTATION, ACTION, AND RESULTS Implementation. ,, OOOOOOO 21 Action. 26 Results . OO 37 REDIRECTION, APPLICATION, AND PROJECTIONS: Redirection OOOOOOOOOO 163 Application OOO OOO 168 Projections 198 APPENDICES Appendix As National Advisory Committee, 203 Appendix B: Research Survey Analysts 207 Appendix C: Responding Companies,. 209 Introdudion A universal concern for the safety of aircraft passengers and flight crews has long been an integral element of the aviation industry. This concern has been revealed in the efforts made by the men and women 'employed in the industry to uphold and achieve the highest standards of craftsmanship. The creation of state and federal agencies to adminis- ter safety regulations has been a further exemplification of a sustained interest in maintaining safety of flight. Foremost among those who form the work force of the aviation industry are the aviation mechanics, who are characterized by their dedication to air safety and pride of.workmanship.Involvement in safety of flight is a part of the working life of each mechanic through- out his employment in aviation. This theme is stated repeatedly in the instruction he receives. Pride of workmanship is a characteristic that develops in the student mechanic from the time he first enters aviation mechanics school. As his skill and knowledge increase, confidence in his ability to perform well also increases, leading to a feeling of pride in his accomplishments and causing him to seek further improve- ment of his skill and knowledge. There is in fact no point in his career at which an aviation mechanic can rest in the knowledge that he is fully prepared for the remaining years he may work in aviation. The changing technology of aviation is reflected by new equipment, new aircraft, and constantly recurring changes in aviation engineering.Each change demands that 1 r 44", cr." I . A . the mechanic have immediate command of the skilland knowledge needed to perform the necessary tasks. Thus there is need not only for thorough,up-to-date initial training but for continuing in-servicetraining. This study provides a platform from which a system to provide such trainingcan be established. The system includesa means of maintaining curriculum currency in the aviation mechamiCs schools in accordance withthe technological requirements of theaviation industry. It also estab- lishes a method thatcan guarantee maintenance of the emphasis of instruction at predetermined levels. The research team greatly appreciatesthe assistance it received from the many participants in theaviation industry without whose help the survey questionnaire couldnot have been completed. The advice and guidance from the NationalAdvisory Committee has also been singularly valuable to this researcheffort. The field analysts who collected the dataare to be commended for their diligent efforts toward the successful completion oftheir work. Our personal appreciation is hereby extendedto Mrs. Travis Latham, editor, and our research support staff,Mrs. Dorothy Bossarte, Mrs. Elinor Shenkin, and Mrs. Karen Kent. June, 1966 D.A. U. a oy Needs, Review, and Plans BLANK-NOT FILMED PRECEDINGPAGE Needs A projection of.the occupation of the aviation mechanicis a matter of concern to the aviation industry and the aviationmechanic schools. The growth of the industry is greatly dependentupon the skills and knowledge that the mechanicmust acquire to meet the demands of an ever-evolving technology. Changes are occurring thatare in- crAising the intricacy and complexity of aircraftrepair, thereby directly affecting the training requirementsfor the mechanic. The necessity for updating the mechanic's trainingcurriculum and maintain- ing his technical currency becomes increasinglyevident. THE MECHANIC The aviation mechanics occupation requires skills andknowledge. comparable with those of other highly skilledoccupations.Many of the aircraft the mechanic encounters have themost sophisticated operating systems that have yet been developed, and the mechanicmust remain cur- rent with the "state of the art." To service and repair aircraft, he uses precision'tOols and instruments in his daily work. Frequently working under time limitations, the mechanicmust produce workmanship of the highest quality. The Mechanic'sCreed.states:1 "Upon my honor I swear that I shall hold in sacred trust therights and privileges conferredupon me as 'a certified'Ilichanic. Knowing full well that the safety and lives of others are dependentupon my skill and Indgment; I-shill never knoWingly subject others to risks which I would not be willing toassume for myself, or for those dear to me." Flight Safatyjoundation, Inc., Aviation Mechanics Bulletin (New York: Flight Safety Foundation,Inc., 1953), p. 16. 5 The Aviation Mechanic Occupation The creed depicts the conscientious observanceof air safety that is demonstrated by the thousands of aviationmechanics in the nation today. William L. Lewis of the Cornell GuggenheimAviation Safety Center describes the qualities needed of those employedin the aviation indus- try as imagination, dependability, ingenuity, and...a Miming desire 2 to do the best possible job underany set of circumstances. These words identify the major characteristics of thepracticing aviation mechanic. Proud of his capabilities touse tools and his technical ability to ana- lyze each new task he faces, the aviationmechanic has been the keystone of air safety. The expanding role of commercial and generalaviation as accepted, reliable modes of transportation is indicative ofheightened national in- terest in aviation. The aviation mechanic is thus becomingmore impor- tant to a greater number of people. The rate at which the aviation mechanics occupationis developing and the lines along which the deve/Opment